Kinda sad, knowing how much Dean wished he could stay. What a job to do, too! But, at that point, Sam wanted answers to too many questions, and he'd left Dean to continue on the hunt. Best stay with Sam. But oh! the possibilities!

Deeeean! Feeeels! Why do you keep doing this to meeee, bhoneeeeey? Loved the banter between Dean and Peter over their babies. I would watch an episode (screw that, a season) where the boys just settle down. Sam goes to uni and comes home every evening to find Dean under a car and covered in oil. Sam insists he showers before making them any food. They have friends! They don't die! Cas often visits! Please.

(Being in a field seems to make my reviews longer. I'll have to remember to read everything in a field from now on.)

Darling, thank you so much for letting me know about this story! Yes, I am still actively posting to "The Impala Community" and I'm so pleased to add this to the archive. This is excellent work, and tho I'm not a Dean-girl, wow, the heart strings stretched a bit for the elder Winchester in this story. Thanks again, and best to you, Randee / mainegirlwrites

That was great. You were so inside Dean's head there and got his longing perfectly and the still raw grief at their dad's death that surfaced when talking with Peter. But Sam appearing from the shop and Dean knowing he is still a brother settled him some.
Loved this :)

Dean's memories of working with his dad while fixing the car were great. I always thought Dean would have been a mechanic if not a hunter.

I loved the final thoughts from Dean, 'his brother, the Impala, the road—this was where Dean truly belonged. Besides, someone needed to have the kid's back—and protecting Sammy, being a big brother? It had always been his most important job.'

I really liked Peter's character as well, and I loved that Dean had a chance to show off the Impala. My heart broke when Dean had to turn Peter's offer down.

The back-story was wonderful too - I can so imagine that the time Dean spent with his dad is the reason he loves to work on cars. It offers some more insight into why Dean was so set on working on the Impala after IMTOD.

I really liked the way you showed how the boys' perspectives changed over the course of the first two seasons - Dean being the one craving 'normal' while Sam was all hell-bent on the hunt.

It always surprised me that Dean was depicted as a construction worker in his 'normal' life with Lisa at the beginning of season 6 rather than as a mechanic, which would have seemed a much more natural occupation for him to take up (as in the Djinn world in WIAWSNB). I would definitely not suggest that Raelle Tucker - and the rest of us - perhaps know Dean better than Sera Gamble, however!

You and your beautiful writing and amazing stories! Once again I'm sitting here with a wistful smile on my face, thinking about how realistic this is and how well you get inside Dean's head. Thank you so much for continuing to write such great stories and for sharing them with us! :)